1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gaming machines and more particularly to a gaming machine with an extendable bet button to provide increased player comfort.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of gaming machines are known. When playing such gaming machines, players normally sit at a chair or stool in front of the gaming machine, rigidly mounted a fixed distance from the gaming machine, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,232,191 and 5,762,617. The location of the gaming machine controls, for example, results in the player either leaning or being hunched forward. In order to improve player comfort, some known gaming machine stools come with footrests or a foot rail to enable players to rest their feet. However, the position of the gaming controls, for example, rigidly mounted thereto as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,397, requires players to lean or hunch forward during play. Continued play in a hunched position can cause player discomfort and fatigue. Such fatigue and discomfort thus limits the amount of time player will play a gaming machine. Unfortunately, due to the configuration of the machine, there is little a player can do to change positions. Thus, there is a need for an improved gaming machine which provides improved player comfort.
According to one aspect, the disclosed gaming machine may include a housing having a front housing portion having an aperture of a first dimension and a grommet disposed therein. The gaming machine may also include gaming machine electronics associated with the housing and a remote bet button, which may include a push button switch disposed within a cylindrical member that may have a first portion having a second dimension smaller than the first dimension and a second portion having a third dimension larger than the first dimension. In such an arrangement, the remote bet button adapted to fit in the aperture in abutment with the grommet when the remote bet button is in an unextended position. Such a push button switch may allow a user to make a wager on a video gambling game. The gaming machine may also include an armored cable having a first end coupled to the push button switch and extending through the aperture in the front housing portion and a second end coupled to the gaming machine electronics. The armored cable could move through the aperture and have a length that allows the remote bet button to move from the unextended position to an extended position. Additionally, the gaming machine may include a stop assembly disposed within the housing. The stop assembly may include a bracket defining an access area through which the armored cable may pass and a weight attached around the armored cable and disposed between the bracket and the second end of the armored cable. In such an arrangement, a dimension of the weight may be larger than a dimension of the access area of the bracket. The gaming machine may further include a video display associated with the housing and adapted to display video gambling game images and may also include a value accepting device associated with the housing and adapted to accept value to be wagered on an outcome of the video gambling game, along with a control panel associated with the housing that could allow a user to control the video gambling game.
According to a second aspect, the disclosed gaming machine may include a housing that may have a front housing portion with an aperture of a first dimension therein. The gaming machine may also include a seating unit associated with the housing, the seating unit enabling a user to sit in an upright position in which the housing is within reach of the user and enabling the user to sit in a reclined position in which the housing is not within reach of the user. Further, the gaming machine may include gaming machine electronics associated with the housing and an extendable bet button that allows the user to initiate play of a video gambling game from the reclined position, the extendable bet button comprising a portion having a second dimension larger than the first dimension, the extendable bet button adapted to move between an unextended position and an extended position. Additionally, the gaming machine may include a cable coupled to the extendable bet button and extending through the aperture in the front housing portion, the extendable bet button being operatively coupled to the gaming machine electronics, the cable having a length allowing the extendable bet button to be moved from the unextended position to the extended position. In such an arrangement, the cable may move through the aperture in the front housing portion when the extendable bet button is moved between the unextended position and the extended position. The gaming machine may further include a video display associated with the housing and adapted to display video gambling game images and a value accepting device associated with the housing and adapted to accept value to be wagered on an outcome of the video gambling game.
According to a third aspect, the disclosed gaming machine may include a housing including an aperture of a first dimension, gaming machine electronics associated with the housing, a control panel associated with the housing and operatively coupled to the gaming machine electronics, the control panel including a number of input devices that allow a user to control a video gambling game and a cable coupled to the gaming machine electronics and extending through the aperture. The gaming machine may also include a push button switch coupled to the gaming machine electronics through the cable, wherein the cable has a length that allows the push button switch to be moved from an unextended position to an extended position, the push button switch allowing the user to initiate play of the video gambling game without having to utilize the control panel. Additionally, the gaming machine may include a cable retention unit associated with the housing, the cable retention unit comprising a bracket defining an access area through which the cable passes and a weight attached to the cable and disposed between the bracket and the gaming machine electronics, wherein a dimension of the weight is larger than a dimension of the access area of the bracket. Further, the gaming machine may include a video display associated with the housing and adapted to display video gambling game images and a value accepting device associated with the housing and adapted to accept value to be wagered on an outcome of the video gambling game.